Inside flash bead trimmer apparatus for welded metal pipe having alternately remotely positionable flash bead cutters

ABSTRACT

Apparatus includes a frame rigidly supported on the inner end of a boom extending into a welded tube or pipe, the pipe being longitudinally movable relative to the boom; an elongated rocker body having an inner flash bead cutter thereon adjacent each end thereof pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in the frame; a cam mounted for longitudinal movement in the frame subjacent and relative to the rocker body for alternately raising the ends of the rocker body so as to place one of the cutters into operating position when the other cutter becomes worn; and remotely operable means mounted on the frame and connected with the cam for moving it relative to the rocker body.

United I States Patent [1 1 Connelly 1 Sept; 18, 1973 INSIDE FLASH BEADTRIMMER APPARATUS FOR WELDED METAL PIPE HAVING ALTERNATELY REMOTELYPOSITIONABLE FLASH BEAD CUTTERS [75] Inventor: Eugene B. Counelly,Churchill Borough, Pa.

[73] Assignee: United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Mar. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 239,147

[52] US. Cl. 90/24 B, 228/19, 83/184, 83/564 [51] Int. Cl 823d H02 [58]Field of Search 90/24 B, 24 R; 29/33 D; 228/19; 83/184, 564

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,177,776 4/1965 Marhanka90/24 B 3,349,212 10/1967 Morris et al. 3,352,208 11/1967 Thomas et al90124 B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,920,870 11/1970 Germany 90/24H Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant ExaminerZ. R. BilinskyAttorney-Donald S. Ferito et al.

[57] ABSTRACT Apparatus includes a frame rigidly supported on the innerend of a boom extending into a welded tube or pipe, the pipe beinglongitudinally movable relative to the boom; an elongated rocker bodyhaving an inner flash bead cutter thereon adjacent each end thereofpivotally mounted intermediate its ends in the frame; a cam mounted forlongitudinal movement in the frame subjacent and relative to the rockerbody for alternately raising the ends of the rocker body so as to placeone of the cutters into operating position when the other cutter becomesworn; and remotely operable means mounted on the frame and connectedwith the cam for moving it relative tothe rocker body.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP I 8 I975 SHEEI 1 0F 2 2 ww mmmm F H g PATENTEDSEPIB'W 3.759.140

SHEEI 2 OF 2 PILEHE INSIDE FLASH BEAD TRIMMER APPARATUS FOR WELDEDMETALPIPE HAVING ALTERNATELY REMOTELY POSITIONABLE FLASH BEAD CUTTERS Thepresent invention relates generally to apparatus for producingcontinuously longitudinally welded tubes or pipes and more particularlyto an apparatus for trimming the inner flash bead or burr from the innersurface of welded tubular products during the manufacture thereof.

When producing welded pipe, it is usually desirable to remove the excessweld bead or burr from the inner surface of the pipe after the weld hasbeen made. This is done to produce a pipe or tube having a smooth innersurface with no inwardly projecting protrusions in the weld area. Theexcess bead or burr is normally cut off by some form of cutting toolmounted on the end of a boom. The boom is moved through the pipe or thepipe is moved over the boom, whichever lends itself best to theparticular application. After a given number of welded pipe lengths havebeen deburred, the cutting tool canvbe inspected for wear and replacedas needed.

When producing pipe on a continuous weld mill, however, the continuouspipe is not cut into shorter individual lengths until quite late in themanufacturing process after welding for obvious economic reasons. In theproduction of pipe on a continuous weld mill, continuous strip or skelpis continuously fed into the mill which shapes and welds the strip toform pipe of an inflnite length. Since it is usual practice to removethe inner flash bead continuously after welding during this process andsince the deburring tool is necessarily located inside the continuousinfinite length of welded pipe, there is no opportunity to inspect thedeburring tool for wear or change before it fails. Weld head inspectiondevices which are conventional components of continuous welded pipemills are depended upon to signal that the deburring tool is notperforming its function. Prior to my invention when this situationbecame apparent, the entire mill operation had to be immediatelysuspended, an opening cut in the pipe to provide access to the deburringtool, and the tool removed and replaced by another. Each time a worndeburring tool had to be replaced production ceased and consequenteconomic loss incurred.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of my invention to provide animproved inner flash bead or burr trimming apparatus which can beremotely operated to substitute an alternate new deburring tool for aworn one without the necessity of suspending operations of thecontinuous pipe welding mill so as to reduce mill downtime due toreplacing worn deburring tools to at least half of what was necessaryheretofore.

It is a more specific object of my invention to provide an improvedapparatus for trimming the inner flash bead or burr from the surface ofa weldedtubular product during the manufacture thereof which includes aframe rigidly supported on the inner end of a boom extending into awelded tube, the tube being longitudinally movable relative to the boom;an elongated rocker body having an inner flash bead cutter thereonadjacent each end thereof pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in theframe; a cam mounted for longitudinal movement in the frame subjacentand relative to the rocker body for alternately raising the ends of therocker body so as to place one of the cutters into operating positionwhen the other cutter becomes worn;

and remotely operable means mounted on the frame and connected with thecam for moving the cam relative to the rocker body.

The above and other objects will become more apparent after referring tothe following specification and attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of the invention inoperating position in the interior of a welded pipe;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view with parts broken away forclarity taken substantially along the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the inner flash bead cutting assemblyof the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view substantially similar to FIG. 3 but showing theapparatus of the invention in the alternate operating position; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along theline Vl-VI of FIG. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference character 2designates generally the inner flash bead trimming apparatus of theinvention positioned in the interior of a pipe or tube 4. The apparatus2 is completely surrounded and enclosed by the pipe 4. The apparatus 2is supported on the clevis shaped inner end 6 of a boom 8 which extendsinto one end of the pipe 4 from an anchor (not shown) which is located adistance away to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5, of thebed of the pipe forming machine (not shown). As viewed in FIGS. 1, 2, 3,and 5, the pipe 4 is moving to the left, as indicated by arrow A,propelled by an outside force (not shown).

The apparatus 2 includes an elongated frame 10 including a pair ofopposed spaced lateral members each having a substantially L shape crosssection, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, rigidly supported within theclevis end 6 of boom 8 by set screws 12. An elongated rocker body 14 ispivotally mounted intermediate its ends in the frame 10 by a pair ofaligned spaced pivot pins 16. Flash bead cutting assemblies 18 aremounted in the rocker body one adjacent each end thereof.

Each of the cutting assemblies 18 includes a tool holder or shoe 20having one end 22 formed in wedge shape and an upper surface 24 formedwith a rounded contour which conforms with the inner curvature of thepipe 4. A cutting blade 26 having a curved cutting end 28 on its uppersurface is rigidly disposed in the shoe 20 with its curved cutting endforming a continuation of and being flush with the rounded contour ofthe upper surface 24 of the shoe 20. The shoe 20 is formed with avertical slot 30 therethrough adjacent the leading edge of the cuttingend of the blade 26 for receiving the flash bead B of the pipe 4 as itis cut away from the inner surface of the pipe, as best shown in FIGS. 3and 5. A longitudinal slot 32 is formed in the upper surface of the shoe20 extending normal to the cutting surface of the blade 26 for receivingthe flash bead B when the cutter blade 26 becomes worn and is notcutting the bead B away from the inner wall of the moving pipe 4.

The shoes 20 are received in suitable openings in the rocker body 14which are shaped on the bottom thereof adjacent the sidein the directionthe pipe 4 is traveling to mate with the wedge-shaped ends 22 of theshoes 20 so that the shoes are constantly urged into place between thecutter blade 26 and the bead B.

A roller 34 is rotatably mounted on and supports the boom 8 on the sidethereof remote from the bead B, as best shown In FIG. 1.

A cam assembly 36, consisting of a pair of spaced aligned cam surfaces38 having parallel extensions 40 of reduced cross section projectingtherefrom in the direction of travel of the pipe 4 and a cross beam 42attached to and connecting the ends of the extensions remote from thecam surfaces, is mounted in the frame 10 subjacent the rocker body 14for longitudinal movement relative to the rocker body. Movement of thecam surfaces 38 in one direction or the other causes the rocker body topivot to raise one of its ends to place the cutting assembly on theraised end into bead trimming position, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

Longitudinal movement of the cam assembly 36 is effected by a fluidpressure cylinder 44 attached to one end of the frame 10 with its pistonrod 46 connected with the cross beam 42 of the cam assembly 36. Thecylinder 44 is a two-way cylinder and is provided with suitable supplyand exhaust lines (not shown) which are controlled by valves (not shown)at a remote location. Thus, the cylinder 44 may be remotely controlledto project or retract its piston rod 46 to move the cam assembly whichin turn pivots the rocker body 14 to the position shown in FIG. 3 or tothe position shown in FIG. 5. For example, the piston rod 46 isprojected to raise the cutting assembly 18 on the right end of therocker body 14, as viewed in FIG. 3, into operating position as shown.When the cutter blade of that cutting assembly becomes worn, the uncutflash bead B will travel through the longitudinal slot 32 and not harmthe rounded contour of the shoe 20. The worn condition of the rightblade 26 will almost immediately be detected by the automatic weld beadinspection devices at which time the cylinder 44 will be actuated toretract the piston rod 46. This will cause the cam assembly 36 to moveto the left as viewed in FIG. 5 and cause the cutting assembly on theleft end of the rocker body 14 to move into operating position and thecutting assembly on the right end of the rocker body to move downwardlyout of operating position. Subsequently, when the cutter blade 26 of theleft cutting assembly becomes worn, the operation of the mill isstopped, an opening is cut into the pipe and both cutter blades 26 arereplaced.

While I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, other adaptationsand modifications may be made without departing from the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for trimming a flash bead on the inner surface of alongitudinally welded metal tube which comprises a rigid cantileversupport extending longitudinally into said tube from outside one endthereof, an elongated rocker body pivotally mounted intermediate itsends on the inner end of said cantilever support so as to permitrelative longitudinal movement between said rocker body and said tube,inner flash bead cutters rigidly mounted one adjacent each end of saidrocker body adapted to alternately engage and trim said inner flashbead, a cam longitudinally slidable on said support subjacent saidrocker body, said cam being adapted to be moved longitudinally relativeto said rocker body and engage the underside thereof selectively onopposite sides of the pivot point of said rocker body to thereby raisesaid inner flash bead cutters alternately toward and from said innerflash bead, and remotely controlled means for moving said cam.

2. Apparatus for trimming an inner flash bead on the inner surface of alongitudinally welded metal tube which comprises a support boom having aclevis formed at one end adapted to be rigidly disposed with its clevisend extending longitudinally into said tube from one end thereof, aframe rigidly mounted in said clevis end, an elongated rocker bodypivotally monted intermediate its ends in said frame so as to permitrelative longitudinal movement between said rocker body and said tube,flash bead cutter assemblies mounted one adjacent each end of saidrocker body each adapted to selectively engage and trim the flash beadon the inner surface of said tube, a cam mounted for longitudinalmovement in said frame subjacent said rocker body, said cam beingadapted to be moved longitudinally relative to said rocker body toalternately engage the bottom of said rocker body on opposite sides ofits pivot connection with said frame to thereby alternately lift saidflash bead cutter assemblies into trimming engagement with said flashbead on the inner surface of said tube, and remotely controlled meansattached to said frame and connected with said cam for moving the latterlongitudinally relative to said rocker body.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which said means for moving saidcam includes a fluid pressure cylinder having a piston rod projectingtherefrom, said cylinder being mounted on one end of said frame and saidpiston rod being connected with said cam.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which a roller is rotatablymounted on said boom adjacent said clevis end thereof for engaging theinner surface of said tube substantially opposite said inner flash head.

5. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which each of said inner flashbead cutter assemblies comprises a tool holder block being formed with arounded contour on its upper surface substantially conforming to thecurvature of the inner surface of said tube, a cutter blade rigidlymounted in said tool holder block, said cutter blade having a curvedcutting end and being disposed in said holder block with its curvedcutting end mating with the rounded contour of the upper surface of theholder block, said block having a slot therethrough adjacent the leadingedge of the cutting end of the cutter blade for receiving the innerflash head after it has been cut away from the inner surface of thetube.

6. Apparatus as defined by claim 5 in which said tool holder block isformed with a notch in its upper surface normal to the trailing edge ofthe cutting end of said cutter blade for receiving said inner flash beadafter the cutting end of said cutter blade becomes worn to a point whereit does not engage said inner flash bead.

t I i b i

1. Apparatus for trimming a flash bead on the inner surface of alongitudinally welded metal tube which comprises a rigid cantileversupport extending longitudinally into said tube from outside one endthereof, an elongated rocker body pivotally mounted intermediate itsends on the inner end of said cantilever support so as to permitrelative longitudinal movement between said rocker body and said tube,inner flash bead cutters rigidly mounted one adjacent each end of saidrocker body adapted to alternately engage and trim said inner flashbead, a cam longitudinally slidable on said support subjacent saidrocker body, said cam being adapted to be moved longitudinally relativeto said rocker body and engage the underside thereof selectively onopposite sides of the pivot point of said rocker body to thereby raisesaid inner flash bead cutters alternately toward and from said innerflash bead, and remotely controlled means for moving said cam. 2.Apparatus for trimming an inner flash bead on the inner surface of alongitudinally welded metal tube which comprises a support boom having aclevis formed at one end adapted to be rigidly disposed with its clevisend extending longitudinally into said tube from one end thereof, aframe rigidly mounted in said clevis end, an elongated rocker bodypivotally monted intermediate its ends iN said frame so as to permitrelative longitudinal movement between said rocker body and said tube,flash bead cutter assemblies mounted one adjacent each end of saidrocker body each adapted to selectively engage and trim the flash beadon the inner surface of said tube, a cam mounted for longitudinalmovement in said frame subjacent said rocker body, said cam beingadapted to be moved longitudinally relative to said rocker body toalternately engage the bottom of said rocker body on opposite sides ofits pivot connection with said frame to thereby alternately lift saidflash bead cutter assemblies into trimming engagement with said flashbead on the inner surface of said tube, and remotely controlled meansattached to said frame and connected with said cam for moving the latterlongitudinally relative to said rocker body.
 3. Apparatus as defined byclaim 2 in which said means for moving said cam includes a fluidpressure cylinder having a piston rod projecting therefrom, saidcylinder being mounted on one end of said frame and said piston rodbeing connected with said cam.
 4. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 inwhich a roller is rotatably mounted on said boom adjacent said clevisend thereof for engaging the inner surface of said tube substantiallyopposite said inner flash bead.
 5. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 inwhich each of said inner flash bead cutter assemblies comprises a toolholder block being formed with a rounded contour on its upper surfacesubstantially conforming to the curvature of the inner surface of saidtube, a cutter blade rigidly mounted in said tool holder block, saidcutter blade having a curved cutting end and being disposed in saidholder block with its curved cutting end mating with the rounded contourof the upper surface of the holder block, said block having a slottherethrough adjacent the leading edge of the cutting end of the cutterblade for receiving the inner flash bead after it has been cut away fromthe inner surface of the tube.
 6. Apparatus as defined by claim 5 inwhich said tool holder block is formed with a notch in its upper surfacenormal to the trailing edge of the cutting end of said cutter blade forreceiving said inner flash bead after the cutting end of said cutterblade becomes worn to a point where it does not engage said inner flashbead.